Dogfish Head brewery in Delaware is releasing a chocolate beer which uses the same ingredients the Aztecs used for their human sacrifice after-parties.

University of Pennsylvania molecular archaeologists examined the remains in an Aztec drinking vessel found in Honduras, and the Dogfish brewmasters recreated the quaff of the gods.

“Before we were eating chocolate, we were drinking it.” [Dogfish Head owner Sam] Calagione said. “In ancient central America, cocoa was considered to be a very divine and sought-after ingredient.”

Combining cocoa nibs, powder and honey with chilies and seeds of the annatto tree, Theobroma aims to dispel the notion that chocolate-flavored alcohol is only for ladies. At a hearty nine percent alcohol-by-volume, it nearly doubles the alcohol content of the average mass-produced beer.

I’ll be raising a glass of that goodness to Xtapolapocetl as soon as I can get mah grubby hands on it.

I just ordered a sixer of their Midas Touch brew, which is also a historical recreation, this time of the dregs left in cups in the Golden One’s tomb. It’s a meady sort of thing, apparently, involving muscat grapes, honey, barley and saffron. Weird, right? If it sucks they’ll be stocking stuffers.

For more about the Aztec chocolate beer, see Dogfish’s page: Theobroma.

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